adminWalter Mswazie Masvingo Correspondent
SHABANIE Mine management which has been battling for years to evict more than 700 former employees, is reported to have started removing doors to the houses occupied by the ex-employees in a bid to force them out of the houses.The workers have vowed not to leave the company houses saying they are waiting to be paid their outstanding salaries and severance packages.
Dennis Zivhu of Nolevale said a team has already been deployed by management to remove doors from the houses to force the former employees out of the houses.
“On Saturday a team of security officers arrived at our house and ordered us out. There are more than 700 workers affected and we do not know the kind of life they want us to lead when they know that they have our money. We resisted but they forcibly removed the doors to our houses. We don’t know why they are doing this when the High Court suspended the evictions until such a time we are paid what the mine owes us,” said Zivhu.
Cecilia Mwale from Maglas Township took a swipe at the company management for not being sensitive to their plight and appealed to government to intervene.
“We are affiliated to Shabanie Mine Ex-workers Union and we have taken our issue to the High Court where we won against the management’s decision to evict us. They should respect the court order. Besides we will not resist eviction if they pay us our dues,” she said.
Efforts to get a comment from Shabanie Mashaba Mines (SMM) administrator, Afaras Gwaradzimba proved fruitless as he was not reachable.
Further attempts to contact management at the mine were not successful as the personnel referred this reporter from one office to the other.
However, a member of the management who preferred anonymity confirmed the development but said that it is those that had started subletting company houses who were affected.
“Yes there are evictions going on but the company is targeting those who are subletting company houses. This is not allowed by the company as the houses are strictly meant for company workers. If you check the list of those that have been ordered to vacate the houses you will discover that they are not former mine employees or their families,” he said in a telephone interview.
However, a workers’ representative Hilton Nhidza said the mine management was trying to find excuses for not complying with the High Court Order which suspended evictions.
“The situation has gone out of hand as the security of former workers and their property was at risk following the removal of doors. The company’s security personnel wantonly break and leave the houses open,” he said.
Nhidza said the mine management was supposed to be sensitive to the plight of workers they retrenched without paying them outstanding salaries and severance packages.
The mine scaled down operations and is now employing about 1,000 workers after retrenching more than 700. Those still employed are also owed money in outstanding salaries.
Online Reporter